Why Purpose Still Matters — More Than Ever

Today marks a new chapter for Neil Gaught & Associates as we officially open our Auckland office. It’s a proud moment — but also a timely one. Around the world, ESG investing is faltering under political and regulatory pressure. Many companies are rebranding, retreating, or quietly dropping sustainability language altogether. Some are wondering whether “purpose” still matters in business.

It does. In fact, I’d argue it matters now more than ever.

The reality is that while political winds shift and public sentiment ebbs and flows, the underlying challenges facing humanity — climate change, inequality, technological disruption — are not going away. Nor are the growing expectations from employees, customers, and investors that businesses will help tackle these challenges, not just exploit them.

What’s needed is not louder slogans or bigger promises. What’s needed is action — purposeful, focused, embedded into the way businesses operate and grow.

That’s why at NG&A, we have always believed in a different approach. Purpose isn’t an add-on. It isn’t a marketing tactic. It’s the foundation of strategy, brand, operations, and governance. It’s the single idea that pulls everything together and gives a business not just direction, but momentum.

Purpose done properly doesn’t just make you feel good. It makes you fitter, faster, and more resilient — because it sharpens decision-making, aligns teams, and builds long-term value you can stand behind.

Of course, the idea of purpose has been misused and misunderstood over the years. Some companies treated it as a slogan. Some saw it as a side project. And yes, the backlash against ESG shows that trust must now be re-earned, not assumed. That’s fair. But it doesn’t change the deeper truth: businesses that can clearly articulate why they exist — and align their operations accordingly — will be the ones that thrive in the long run.

As we start this new chapter in New Zealand, our commitment is simple: to help businesses cut through the noise, stay true to what really matters, and build success that lasts.

Purpose is not a trend. It’s the core.